Saturday, October 6, 2012

From the Press Release:On October 10th BAD KIDS GO TO HELL, starring Judd Nelson and directed by Matthew Spradlin, will have its star-studded Dallas premiere screening along with a pre-opening look at the new Spring Valley location of Studio Movie Grill. Located at 13933 N. Central Expressway, the state-of-the-art complex will be the largest Studio Movie Grill to date and marks the tenth overall location for the company.The film, based on the popular comic book series of the same name, tells the tale of six private school students locked in a Saturday detention with a killer on the loose. Ben Browder ("Farscape", "Stargate SG-1", "Doctor Who") also stars, as well as Ali Faulkner ("Bianca" in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1), Roger Edwards (Freelancers), Marc Donato ("Degrassi: The Next Generation"), Cameron Deane Stewart (Pitch Perfect), Augie Duke ("The Mentalist"), Amanda Alch (When Zachary Beaver Came to Town), Jeffrey Schmidt (Interstate), and Chanel Ryan (BASEketball) . The film was produced by Barry Wernick and Brad Keller, had its world premiere at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con International, and screened at Stan Lee’s Comikaze and the Ruby Mountain Film Festival.Beginning October 27th, BAD KIDS GO TO HELL will also have an exclusive Halloween sneak peek run at all ten Studio Movie Grill locations, which include the seven theaters in Texas along with theaters in Scottsdale, Arizona; Alpharetta, Georgia; and Wheaton, Illinois.“Studio Movie Grill is extremely happy to host the Dallas premiere of BAD KIDS GO TO HELL and to welcome visitors to its newest flagship, which opens its doors to the public on Friday, October 12th,” said Brian Schultz, president of SMG.“We are very excited to partner with Studio Movie Grill and be a part of their grand opening week as well as featured at all of their venues for an exclusive run for Halloween.” said Wernick.
Alright here is the deal on this uber retro inspired neo freak-out Hellfest! 6 prep school silver spooners are stuck in detention for 8 hours (kisses to Breakfast Club). During their 8 hour incarceration, each of the six kids falls victim to a horrible "accident" until only one of them remains. And as each of these spoiled rich kids bites the dust, the story takes on a series of humorous and frantic twists and turns. Is one of the kids secretly evening the school's social playing field? Or have the ghosts of prestigious Crestview Academy finally come to punish the school's worst (and seemingly untouchable) brats? One thing is for sure... Daddy's money can't save them now. Watch the trailer below.

It is the 6th of October and the countdown to Halloween has already begun. So for this 6th day of horror scream into the night with this remake “Prom Night”. The film stars Brittany Snow as Donna who comes face to face with the serial killer she thought she had escaped. Not to mention she has to find the right dress to wear to Prom. Based on MTV the later is the bigger issue of crisis in life.

Welcome to a Psychotic Saturdays!-Saturday!! Today’s post features six classically cult-astic flicks. Three feature Joan Crawford, along with Bette Davis, then we have Priscilla Alden in two flicks and the last one is purely Shirley Stoler. So enjoy the horribly good in being so twistedly bad.

1. Strait-Jacket (1964)
The film is directed by William Castle and features Miss Crawford. Also in the cast are Diane Baker and Leif Erikson. Lucy Harbin has been in an asylum for 20 years after axing her husband and his mistress during a crime of passion, witnessed by her young daughter, Carol. While trying to renew ties with Carol, who is now a young woman about to be married, heads begin to roll again. Is Lucy repeating her past?

2. Berserk (1967)
Monica Rivers, is the owner and ringmaster of a traveling circus and who'll stop at nothing to draw bigger audiences. When a series of mysterious murders begins to occur and some of her performers die gruesomely, her profits soar. She hires high-wire walker Frank Hawkins, impressed by the handsome and muscular young man. They begin an affair which arouses her previous lover Durando's jealousy. When Durando is found dead shortly afterward, the other performers begin to take alarm, as a mysterious killer is obviously loose in their midst. Many suspect Monica herself of the killings, especially Matilda, who has set her sights on Monica's new lover. At this point, Monica's unruly, sixteen-year-old daughter Angela, is expelled from school for being incorrigible and Monica is forced to take her into the circus, allowing her to become the partner of knife-thrower Gustavo. Meanwhile, the dead bodies continue to pile up... Directed by Jim O’Connolly the film stars Crawford as well as Ty Hardin and Diana Dors.

3. What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962)

In a decaying Hollywood mansion, Jane Hudson, a former child star, and her sister Blanche, a movie queen forced into retirement after a crippling accident, live in virtual isolation. The film was directed by Robert Aldrich and stars Crawford and Davis as the sisters.

4. Criminally Insane (1975)
After her doctors declare her ready to return to society, Ethel leaves the psychiatric hospital and goes to live with her grandmother. She soon develops a few odd habits, in particular a insatiable compulsion to eat massive amounts of food. When grandma locks away the food supply out of fear for her granddaughter's health, Ethel kills her for the keys to the pantry. Left to her own devices, she now indulges her hunger non-stop, murdering anyone who dares to stand in her way. Will anyone be able to put a stop to her? Starring Priscilla Alden and Michael Flood the film was directed by Nick Millard.

5. Criminally Insane 2 (1987)

Directed by Nick Millard and starring Priscilla Alden, Michael Flood and Jane Lambert. A mental hospital, faced with a severe decrease in funding, is forced to release mass-murderer Ethel Janowski into a halfway house. Ethel is psychotic, delusional and has a hefty appetite. In fact, her killing spree began 13 years before with the murder of her grandmother, who had forced her to go on a diet. Now that she's tasted the home-cooked fare at the halfway house, she'll do absolutely anything to get more.

6. Honeymoon Killers (1969)
Based on the true story of Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck, who met through a lonely-hearts correspondence club. Ray is weedy, feral, and untrustworthy; Martha is enormous, compulsive, and needy. Together, they play out a horrifying scheme in which he lures lonely women out on dates and proposes marriage to them, with her pretending to be his sister. They take the women's savings and then murder them remorselessly. Dank, claustrophobic, and weirdly engrossing, this movie never quite gives in to the comforts of conventional narrative. Francois Truffaut named it as his favorite American film. Directed by Leonard Kastle the film stars Shirley Stoler as Martha Beck. Also in the cast is Tony Lo Bianco ,Mary Jane Higby and Doris Roberts.

Six truly disturbed stories of deep psychosis to make your Saturday a bit more psychotic. Enjoy and have a twisted time!

Friday, October 5, 2012

“Sororal” is the first ever Australian neo-giallo film. Shooting for a December completion the film thriller follows Cassie who is tormented by visions of murder. Terrifying images flood her dreams and attack her waking hours. Her dreams are her curse and keep her isolated from the everyday world. Her life is thrown into disarray when a mysterious Detective comes to her with a bombshell. He tells her that her visions are depictions of real murders, murders that she couldn’t possibly have seen. Cassie’s pain now has a face and she must stop the killing at all costs. The twisted, childlike killer targets Cassie’s loved ones and the race is on to stop her. Cassie is thrown together with her former lover as they scramble towards a shocking revelation that will change everything. The film also stars Nicola Bartlett, Liam Graham, Jeremy Levi and Vito De Francesco. Check out the first teaser trailer below.

Directed by Dorian Knight and Steve Goldenberg and is a film that attempts to celebrate everything we love about the classic monster movies of the 50’s. It is a super low budget flick that pits costume creature against costume creature. The rivalry between the fish-like Piranha Man and the canine Wolf Man is one of brutal murder, familial kidnappings, stalking, and incest! When the decades old fight begins to effect the life of investigative journalist Lexi Glass, she finds that sometimes you need to become the story in order to report the story. She discovers the battle of a lifetime along with the horrible secret of her family's past!

Even though this is a really low budget film with obvious “suit” bound monsters and screams cheese-fest the movie could have been so much more – could have but didn’t. The story was actually a pretty cool concept that has moments when everything seems to be going right. Yet the film takes a dramatically outlandish turn with strange direction and plot twists that just manage to complicate and frustrate the simplicity of the film’s storyline. There were clever moments of humor and well crafted death scenes that mask the low level of special effects used and the obvious use of rubber masks and costume monsters. It could have been a perfectly cheesy yet entertaining flick. Unfortunately half way through the film it takes a wrong turn into complete absurdity filled with over thought character details and plot twists. Not to mention the whole mystical dream guide sequence that just (even for a film called Piranha-Man VS Werewolf-Man) seems a bit asinine. I didn’t expect much going into this film but the initial acting and story seemed tacky yet acceptable so I almost began to enjoy the low budget fill of the whole thing until it hit that deeper dramatic and pointless part with unnecessary backstory that fell flat. It would have worked better with just one director with one simple vision adequately executed instead of the mess that this film became. I have to say the film just became to hard to watch and I was thankful when it was over. : (

Check out the U.K trailer for horror/comedy “Stitches” featuring comedian Ross Noble as the killer undead clown. The film opens to British audiences October 26th. Directed by Conor McMahon (Dead Meat), Noble plays Stitches the clown who comes back from the dead to wreak revenge on a group of teenagers celebrating one of their group’s 16th birthday.

“found.” is Scott Schirmer’s dark caveat to what could arguably be the true meaning of horror starring Gavin Brown, Ethan Philbeck, Phyllis Munro, Louie Lawless and Alex Kogin. The film follows a young boy who’s life is abruptly altered when he discovers his older brother is a budding serial killer. (read my review here). Check out the new trailer for the profound flick which recently won Best Feature at “Elvira’s Horror Hunt” this year at Horrorhound.

Premiering in the Cinemania section of the Tribeca International Film Festival 2012, “In Their Skin” is a tense and terrifying thriller starring Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions, Hellboy), Josh Close (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Diary of the Dead), James D’Arcy (W.E., Master and Commander), and Rachel Miner (Bully, Supernatural). The harrowing home invasion film has received hype from horror fan sites and will be released in fall 2012 by IFC Midnight. Check out the trailer below.

After the accidental death of their six-year-old daughter, the Hughes family escape their busy upscale suburban life and head to their isolated cottage for some quality time. An evening with their friendly neighbors is suddenly interrupted when one man's obsession with perfection escalates into a violent struggle, forcing the families to go beyond what they ever thought they were capable of in order to survive.

Jason Figgis’s “Railway Children” has been compared to a modern post apocalyptic revision of “Lord Of The Flies”. It is a dark and haunting character study that sees a world after devastation. A virus wipes out the adult population leaving children and teenagers to reform some semblance of society. The process results in intense and brutal results. Violence and chaos echo through a scarred landscape.

Sisters Evie (Catherine Wrigglesworth) and Fran (Emily Forster) have been travelling from town to town, gathering food and finding accommodation as they move from place to place. They keep to themselves; Evie reading chapters from E. Nesbit’s classic children's story ‘The Railway Children' to her little sister in an attempt to bring a sense of normality to their bleak existence - the novel was a favourite bedtime read as both girls were growing up; their mother (Jennifer Graham) their favorite reader. Finding overnight shelter in a derelict building, the sisters soon settle down only to be awoken by shouts from another room. Investigating, Evie witnesses the beating of a girl. She watches in horror until the mob leaves the building and the girl behind. Tentatively going to her aid, the girl whom Evie discovers is called Alice (Justine Rodgers) leads them to a large building at the edge of the city from where they hear singing coming from a basement window. They investigate . . .

. . .so begins a battle of wills between newcomers and those holding tenuous threads of a commune civilisation together; add to this further invidious threats from two of the girls’ darker pasts and an already tense atmosphere is soon to explode into violence.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Oct. 4th and I was out almost all day so just under 30 mins to Midnight and here is day three’s movie. “Happy Birthday To Me” 1981.

Directed by J. Lee Thompson and stars Melissa Sue Anderson, Glenn Ford and Lawrence Dane
Virginia is proud that she belongs to a clique. The best students at a private school. But before her 18th birthday, a grueling set of murders take place and her friends are the ones who are falling prey. Could it be her? She suffers from blackouts due to a freak accident one year earlier. We soon learn the truth behind her accident and what is going on.

Heidi, a blond rock chick, DJs at a local radio station, and together with the two Hermans (Whitey and Munster) forms part of the "Big H Radio Team."A mysterious wooden box containing a vinyl record arrives for Heidi, a gift of the Lords. She assumes it's a rock band on a mission to spread to spread their word. As Heidi and Whitey play the Lord's record, it starts to play backwards, and Heidi experiences a flashback to a past trauma.

Later, White plays the Lord's record, dubbing them the Lords of Salem, and to his surprise, the record plays normally and is a massive hit with his listeners.The arrival of another wooden box from the Lords presents the Big H team with free tickets, posters and records to host a gig in Salem. Soon, Heidi and her cohorts are far from the rock spectacle they're expecting. The original Lords or Salem are returning and they're out for blood.

Beyond Here Lies Nothing is the third book in The Concrete Grove trilogy by Gary McMahon. The novel pulls the reader back to the dark and sinister happenings of an urban squallier of existence, the Estate. The story centers around the tragic disappearance of four young girls known as the Gone Away Girls and is just one event in the residential area of England of disturbing and nightmarish moments. Gary McMahon manages to weave together lifes filled with little hope that are heavy with despair. Each of the characters in Beyond Here Lies Nothing are consumed with a loneliness and sense of tragedy that pulls you into their lives like a black hole, squeezing you as it chokes and compresses your mind with images that generate terror and fear. The story is a haunting story that combines legend and mystic pasts with paralleled dimensions and truly horrific human occurrences.

Loculous is the recess in a catacomb where relics of worship are kept. It is also the point of universal balance that must be maintained with consideration in order for life to flourish. It is a pagan representation of the yin/yang. In Beyond Here Lies Nothing we discover what may become of our world if this balance is not witnessed. The face of this truth is not always pleasant. Sometimes it is dark and sinister as Gary McMahon proves in this gripping tale of loss and supernatural interference. From the moment the novel starts there is almost no hope for these characters as their story unfolds. It is a dark and cryptic tale that is thrilling and captivating. A truly fascinating nightmare that demands us to show greater care for what came before our modern plastic society and pay homage to the organic and mystical nature of a universal truth. Beyond Here Lies Nothing is a dark and twisted journey into the realm of nightmares.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

“100 Ghost Street” is a found footage paranormal flick from The Asylum. It is told through recovered documentary video footage retrieved from the stories set location. A team of paranormal researchers head out to record any phenomena where the infamous killer Richard Speck murdered several people. The film stars Jennifer Robyn Jacobs, Jim Shipley, Tony Besson, Jackie Moore, and Hayley Derryberry.

“100 Ghost Street” begins just as most of these found footage paranormal ghost stories do by setting up the story with video sequences that conveniently introduce the location and purpose of the visit. In this case a documentary investigating the paranormal activity at the scene of grisly murders committed by Richard Speck who along with his victims is said to still be haunting the location. There is nothing that really sticks out in this film as groundbreaking or original but it is a pretty good movie. The story is believable and comprehensible. The action begins almost immediately and convincingly. The special effects in this film is standard play in this subgenre and is done very well. There is plenty of gory death scenes and melodramatic acting from the cast. The scares are not so much instantaneous or shocking but the whole film is pretty entertaining.

There is really nothing in this film that stands out as nail biting or ‘edge of your seat chills’ but the film manages to keep you interested by showing a steady amount of action and drama. I actually found it to be a very enjoyable paranormal film that brought the blood and gore. The effects are not high end but they are better than a lot of the films in this subgenre of horror. If your looking for sudden chills or scare moments that make you jump then look elsewhere, but that aside it is a very good ghost story. The atmosphere is creepy, the location is dark and the story behind the paranormal activity is gruesome. I think any paranormal movie fan will be pleased to see this film.

“Gargoyles” 1972 Starring Cornel WIlde and Jennifer Salt. An anthropologist/paleontologist and his daughter, while travelling through the southwestern US, stumble upon a colony of living, breathing gargoyles. Directed by Bill L. Norton.

Revenge is a dish best served raw.
A group of con men reunite six years after a failed diamond heist for a lavish meal served off the naked body of a beautiful young woman. The sushi girl seems catatonic, trained to ignore everything in the room, even if things become dangerous. Sure enough, the thieves can’t help but open old wounds in an attempt to find their missing loot.

Sci-fi flick “Outpost 11” is currently in post production. The film is set in an alternative past where steam power still rules the world, Outpost 11 is the story of three soldiers manning a remote listening post in the Arctic Circle. One day the warning light goes off unexpectedly and their world is plunged in to chaos. Albert, Mason and Graham must fight the isolation, madness and arctic spiders to survive. Think 'The Thing' plus 'How I Ended this Summer' mixed with 'Videodrome.' Directed by Anthony Woodley and stars Bernard Hill, Billy Clarke, Luke Healey and Josh Mayes-Cooper. Check out the trailer below.

Echo Bridge Entertainment has began pre-production of “Alligator Alley” a sci-fi flick that focuses on two rival families in the Louisiana Bayou. They discover a killer new species of predator and have to put aside their feud in order to defeat the reptiles. The film is scheduled for a 2013 release. Check out the teaser poster below.

Monday, October 1, 2012

The Drunken Zombie International Horror Film Festival is happy to announce their line up for the 2012 film festival on November 2 & 3 at Landmark Cinemas in Peoria, IL. They have a lot of variety coming this year ranging from ghosts, werewolves, demons, puppets, slashers, and even girl scouts.

The Festival is hosting one world premiere and one U.S. Premiere at the festival this year. First up they will be showing the 50's homage film House Of Ghosts from filmmaker Christopher Mihm in the classic red and blue 3D. This specific version of this movie is being created to play at the festival. The film is being modified to have certain elements presented in the old red and blue 3D and is a throwback to such films as Thirteen Ghosts from William Castle. Also the festival will be hosting the U.S. Premiere of Masks. This film comes from Germany. It is both a love letter to the classic film Susperia and also completely original in it's presentation. It's beautifully shot with a story that you will not believe.

Tiffany Shepis could be the hardest working lady in Indie horror. Here accomplishments are insane and the projects just keep coming. The New York native may not have started out to be a Scream Queen when she began her acting career at the tender age of 12 but considering her love for the genre it was inevitable. She has played ballsy and brazen characters that could hold their own against any testosterone crazed maniac hands down. Her on screen presence is formidable to say the least as the obvious love and passion for her craft comes out and takes over the scene. I have been writing about horror for blogs for four years now and her name mainly focusing on Indie films and Tiffany Shepis’ name comes up a lot in cast listings and for good reason. She kicks ass and often sets the tone for the films personality. Her characters untrustworthy as she stole the money from my favorite pie girl Shannon Elizabeth in the 2009 remake of “Night Of The Demons”. However she really shined as Gina in the twisted and dark tale of underground filmmaking as she set out to break into mainstream films in “She Wolf Rising”. Since then she has played bad beautifully. Her character in “Come On Down” short which is part of the “Psycho Street” trilogy is one bad ass bitch not to be fucked with.

Tiffany Shepis has really played or killed just about every possible nightmare imaginable. Here future projects alone have all been in my personal list of ‘must see films’, notably “Hallow Pointe”, “Model Hunger”, “Hallow’s Eve”, “The Morningside Monster” and the one slasher flick that has been in my happy little nightmare land since word first come out about it- “The Axeman At Cutter’s Creek” by Joston Theney. Recently I got the opportunity to ask her a few questions about her character Denise in “The Axeman At Cutter’s Creek” and the genre she loves (as do we-the fans).

ASouthernLife: In "The Axeman Of Cutter's Creek" your character Denise is a career criminal, how much would you say she differs from your previous roles, and is she some one that you relate to? How do you see her?

Tiffany Shepis: Denise is cool, funny and crazy...traits which I think you would find in most of my characters. Excited for this one though, very much a 80's throwback, with a twist!
ASouthernLife: The first time you saw Scot in character who convincing was he as the Axeman?

Tiffany Shepis: I have no idea, I haven't started shooting.
ASouthernLife: Do you think Leyla Barker could take him?

Tiffany Shepis: Leyla Barker?? LOL She's one crazy bitch so I'm sure she would put up a good fight.
ASouthernLife: Is Denise some one that you would hang out with on a Saturday night, or some one you would avoid at all cost?

Tiffany Shepis: I don't hang out on Saturday nights. So if she wanted to watch breaking bad on netflix with me and my husband, she would be more then welcome ; )
ASouthernLife: As for "the Axeman" do you think there is anything good left in him or is he just evil incarnate?

Tiffany Shepis: EVIL...
ASouthernLife: Do you have any aspirations to direct Horror movies in the future?

Tiffany Shepis: Possibly, not at the moment though. I like to leave all that hard work to others.
ASouthernLife: Who was the one Scream Queen you made it a point to meet when you came on to the "Scene"?

Tiffany Shepis: Brinke Stevens. She was always so cool and classy and fun. PLUS she loves the genre so I was excited to meet her way back when!
ASouthernLife: What movies are in your must have list as a Horror fan (aside from your own work).

The much anticipated horror flick follows a mentally fragile college student named Ashley (Caitlin Gerard from ‘Magic Mike’ and ‘The Social Network’) who, after learning of an urban legend in which a mysterious serial killer named Smiley can be summoned through the Internet, must decide whether she is losing her mind or becoming Smiley’s next victim. The film comes out October 12th. Check out the new poster.

“Maniac” star Elijah Wood has caught the horror bug. “Manian” is still on hold at the moment at IFC but it will not be the only chance to see the darker side to the young hot actor. Elijah has teamed up with Daniel Noah and John C. Waller to form a genre film company The Woodshed. It will focus on the independent side of cinema where the dark and twisted live for us all to enjoy.
The first projects The Woodshed has lined up are “Curse The Darkness”, a socio-political zombie film scripted by Brandon Maurice Williams to shoot in February in Florida in partnership with Cinipix Films. Building on the research of anthropologist Wade Davis, the film takes a grounded approach to Haitian zombie practices to tackle immigration issues. Lawrence Inglee is also a co-producer. “Henley”, a feature transfer of the 2012 Sundance short written by Clay McLeod Chapman and Craig Macneill. Macneill will direct and Noah Greenberg is producer as well as cinematographer. The film is described as an intimate portrait of a 9-year-old sociopath as he first discovers his taste for killing. The Ivan Ford-scripted “Harrow”, to be directed by Keith Fulton and Lou Pepe (Lost in La Mancha, Brothers of the Head) chronicles an unlikely friendship between an earnest female doctor and a shady photojournalist as they become trapped together in a town that has been quarantined as it experiences a number of disturbing paranormal events. The Peter Charles Melman-scripted “It Was Cruel”, to be helmed by Shadow of the Vampire’s E. Elias Merhige. The film uses the horror genre to confront the spiritual corruption that many Jews were forced to accept in order to survive WWII.

There are also talks about collaborative projects with Alex de la Iglesia (The Last Circus), Nimrod Antal (Predators), Panos Cosmatos (Beyond The Black Rainbow), and vid helmer Ace Norton.

Today is October the 1st. So I am going to post a Horror movie a day on my blog starting with this classic film. “Don’t Look In The Basement a.k.a The Forgotten” is directed by S.F. Brownrigg and stars Bill McGhee, Jessie Lee Fulton and Robert Dracup. This is the unrated version of the film.

A young psychiatric nurse goes to work at a lonesome asylum following a murder. There, she experiences varying degrees of torment from the patients.

Randy R. Fabert introduces horror fans to a new evil in his film “Psycho Killer”. The film follows a seasoned detective who comes face to face with the ‘Juggernaut’ a serial killer who’s complete, relentless desires are carrying out on young women. After the detectives partner is taken by this psychotic killer the detective sets out to find justice only to discover darker horrors and deeper evils that are carried out by the ‘Juggernaut’. Check out the trailer below and jump over to the Facebook Page and click like. Based on what I have seen this film looks intense and brutal. This should be one hell of disturbing trip into hell as the “Psycho Killer” drags us into it’s nightmare! The film stars Anita McFarren Rhynes, Doug Palmer,Randy Fabert, Clint Bramkamp, John Handorf and John Handorf as The Juggernaut.

A side note to this movies growing story: According to HorrorBug the film has already been refused entry to one festival because it was deemed "too disturbing". Just tells me that I must see this film!

Sunday, September 30, 2012

“The Barrens” is a psychological thriller/horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and stars Stephen Moyer, Mia Kershner, Erik Knudsen, Allie MacDonald and Shawn Ashmore. The film focuses on a family man trying to strengthen the bonds with with his wife and children by returning to the great outdoors to the place he spent his childhood vacations-The Barrens, home to the Jersey Devil. The film deals with some very troublesome issues that many families face these days- disconnection from one another. In the world of high speed lifestyles and digital personalities there is nothing more alien than those we share blood and shelter with. Sometimes we are aliens even to ourselves in this new global stressed world. So why not get back to nature, back to basics, and back to the birthplace of evil and legend?! A very dark emotional set up that just spirals deeper into the void of despair.

“The Barrens” is a double fake out film. It is common in a lot of horror films where the audience is set up to believe then question one outcome of the plot only to have those very answers we seek to be simple distraction as we are lead back into a different synopsis. Sometimes it works in cinema and sometimes it just pisses the movie goer off never to see another film that vaguely resembles the premise. This time it works. There are no major trick story moments where you're forced to decide whether what you see is real or not. You clearly know that something is deeply broken in the main character played by Stephen Moyer. What is left up in the air is the question of just how deep those breaks go. Also the film keeps a dark and sinister air about it from start to finish. There is no moment of rest where humor or comfortability takes over the story. It is steady as you go right up until the final tragic moment.

The ending is pretty killer in the fact that the whole time you are pointing blame in one direction for the nightmare unfolding, you soon become aware of the truth of the story. Is the Jersey Devil lurking in the thick pines of The Barrens or is it a more natural relatable killer at work? The film is really genius in the subtle way it plays with this “ever guessing” style of story telling because it doesn’t force you to think one way or the other. The movie just carries you along for the ride into a chilling thriller. There are no really big scares or shock moments in this film but then again the movie didn’t need them. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it full on horror but it is a great suspenseful thriller.

Check out the new poster for “7even Styles Of Suicide”. “7even Styles Of Suicide” is a an independent film that explores the breaking point between despair and suicide of someone who’s downward spiral has taken it’s toll. The film is the dark revelation of German Indie company Extreme-scRIPt-crew and currently seeking funding on Euro crowdfunding site StartNext. Also check out the Facebook Page and my earlier post where you can see the trailer and pics here!

Growing up everyone said that television was the devil’s tool. And what a tool it was. There was some groovy shows in the 70’s that brought the occult and the horror to sets all over American. There were also some great 70’s horror and occult TV movies that celebrated and warned of the evils of a supernatural presence. So for Satanic Sunday I have chosen six films that came to TV land in those unglorious days of the 70’s.

1. Crowhaven Farm (1970)
1.

Directed by Walter Grauman and starring Hope Lange, Paul Burke, Lloyd Bochner and John Carradine.
A young couple inherits a farm. Hoping that the rural location might help to patch up their strained marriage, they move into it, only to be confronted by the supernatural forces that inhabit it.'

2. The Possessed (1977)

Directed by Jerry Thorpe and starring James Farentino, Harrison Ford, Claudette Nevins and Eugene Roche.
A former priest, now an exorcist, battles the satanic forces that are threatening the students at a girls school.

3. The House That Would Not Die (1970)
Directed by John Llewellyn Moxey and starring Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Egan, Michael Anderson Jr. and Kitty Winn.
A tale of witchcraft, black magic and a haunted house in the Amish country.

Directed by Robert Day and starring Louis Jourdan, Anne Baxter, Diana Hyland and John McMartin.
A psychiatrist investigates the death of one of his patients, a young heiress.

6. Look What’s Happened To Rosemary’s Baby (1976)

Directed by Sam O’Steen and starring Stephen McHattie, Patty Duke, Broderick Crawford and Ruth Gordon.
Having been adopted by the madam of a southwestern brothel, a now adult Adrian must cope with the fact that he's Satan's kid, and not living up to his expectations.

So check out these six retro flicks on this most special of Satanic Sundays. Today is the first unholy day following the Harvest Moon. It is truly a happenin’ time to check out some devilishly delightful films. Even those that were made for television can conjure some evil amusement.